[Rob_B]

Hi All,
 
I have got to remove some vinyl lettering from a car show room window on tuesday morning.
 
I haven't done this before, but the owners have said that their workers have done this on the lower windows and found it easy. They want me to do it on the higher windows as I'm used to working on ladders.
 
They are supplying a heat gun and some stuff to remove the sticky residue.
 
Is it really as easy as they say? I know that they aren't going to say that it's hard work in case I told them I didn't want to do it.
 
Have any of you wonderful people got any tips on this?
 
Cheers    Rob

[Ian_Giles]

Well I don't know about a heat gun, but I have always found it quite easy to do using an Unger 4inch fold away razor scraper.
You have to be careful, very easy to snap the blades, providing the stickers are not to old and have perished and become brittle, if you are careful you can start an 'edge' and slowly peel off, using the blade against the glass to keep it going.
If there is adhesive left on the glass, spray or wet with your normal window cleaning solution and use the Unger scraper, with the 4inch one you can fold the blade back into its cover and clip into most standard squeegee handles, so you can also use it on your extention pole.
There are 6inch scrapers, but they are not as good as the 4inch ones.

I haven't used a heat gun, but I think that may well take longer, particularly if it makes the adhesive soft and sticky again

Ian

[matt]

dont use a heat gun, use a hair dryer on warm (not that hot) though i s.pose you could use a het gun and not put it too close just to warm the glue a little

i have done loads of vans like this

[Simon Carter]

Just keep going over it with soapy water & scrap it off as has been said with an Unger or equivelent scrapper. If you go over it occassionally with your squeegee you will see what is remaining. If there is loads to come off it will make a mess on the floor, so go prepared to get rid of this as well.

[Rob_B]

Hmmm.... Not sounding as easy as the owners claimed, I'm pleased I didn't quote a price and told them my hourly rate instead.

I was thinking of just using a my trusty unger scraper, but wasn't sure if this would be enough. I suppose I will have the heat gun as back up just in case.

Thanks for the replies guys.

[thewindowcleaner1]

I removed vinyl from a shops windows a couple of years ago (wot a pain) each piece of viynl was 3ft x 2ft and it coverd the entire window, 16 pains in all, after scraping the first one, blades snaping ect took ages, downd tools and went to B&Q and bough a heat gun this worked a lot better once I got going (being a cold day vinyl kept cooling before I could remove it so I would be pulling it and it would come of in small pieces), Then tried to wash reidue off with soap and water - NO good- back to B&Q bought some white spirits- this got the bulk of the residue of but be warned its like soft chewing gum (use old rags) then a couple of washes later and I'd finnished (good job reaaly as it was by now dark and I was freezing.
So my suggestion would be Don't do it, or charge at least twice as much as you think because IT will take longer than you think, and if you do do it pick a warm day this should help, plus don't keep heat gun in one spot to long glas don't like to much direct heat.

Alan

[gaza]

Hi becoming a glass blower are we  Ihad to remove some stickers from a shop window and used meths worked a treat but keep that gun away [fumes] had to remove the stickers first though started with a scraper then peeled them off used meths to remove sticky residue{what do I know Im only a window cleaner}re 1 customers quote